China not to blame for current situation of Sino-Japanese ties: FM spokesman

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in Beijing Sunday that the responsibility for the current situation of Sino-Japanese relations does not lie with China.

In response to a journalist's question, Qin said "Japan must adopt an earnest attitude and appropriate ways to deal with major principled issues concerning the feelings of the Chinese people.

The Japanese have to do more things conducive to enhancing mutual trust and maintaining the relations between the two countries, rather than doing the reverse."

Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura on Sunday demanded an official apology and compensation from China for the Japanese embassy being attacked and damaged by demonstrators in Beijing.

Qin said that during the protests and demonstrations against Japan in Beijing in recent days, the Chinese government has been appealing to demonstrators to remain calm and sane and to express their opinions in a lawful and orderly way.

He said relevant departments of the Chinese government have done a great deal to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens and organizations in China.

China, however, does not want to see few radical actions occurred in the process of the recent demonstrations in Beijing, he said.

Thousands of people gathered in Beijing over the past couple of days to protest Japan's distortion of its wartime past and Tokyo'sbid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

People came to the Hailong shopping center in northern Beijing's Haidian district, carrying anti-Japanese banners.

The government mobilized a huge police force to maintain order.

Japan officially approved a new textbook Tuesday that glosses over Japanese wartime atrocities.

The gathering participants called out slogans such as "Boycott Japanese products," "Protect the Diaoyu Islands" and "Smash Japan's daydream of seeking a permanent seat on the UN Security Council."